Tayari's Blog: March 2006
March 30, 2006
Party Pictures!
I've posted some snapshots from my paperback launch party for The Untelling! If you are feeling sad because you couldn't make it, send me an email and I'll send you a few of the party-favor buttons. (I can send enough for you, your family, your bookclub..) And if you like the pictures, email the photagrapher, Jati Lindsay, and let him know. And if you're in D.C., keep him in mind when you need someone to shoot your events.
March 28, 2006
Frankly, My Dear
When I heard that Pearl Cleage had given a reading at the Margaret Mitchell House, I brushed it off as a vicious rumour. Afterall, I have been knowing Pearl since the very beginning and I know what she thinks about slave-owning Scarlett O'Hara and her beloved Tara. But's it's true. She did give a reading there and before she read from her new novel, Baby Brother's Blues, she told the audience why she broke her self-imposed ban on the Margaret Mitchell House. She sent me a copy of her remarks and I am honored to publish them here:
Thank you. Before I talk about my own writing and about my new book, Baby Brother’s Blues, I want to say a few words about how weird it is to be standing in the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum after so many years of refusing to darken its doorway out of respect for my ancestors who were held in bondage one state over, right outside of Montgomery, Alabama. Matters of race are always complex and multi-layered. If one is to have any hope of being understood, it is usually wise to begin at the beginning…
Posted at 09:44 PM | ![[comments]](http://www.tayarijones.com/images/comments.gif){kind=small}
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Category:
The Writing Life
Flanked: A Women Writers Collective
Through of series of gorgeous coincidences, I have become aware of Flanked, a women writers collective based in Baltimore. Ladylee, I am thinking that something like this should be started in ATL as well. (Hint, hint. I think you'd be an ideal founder!) Here is a excerpt of the Flanked mission statement:
Flanked connects serious women writers to women as fierce as themselves— writers often unrecognized, sometimes unpublished, but certainly on the verge of “making them a world.” Housed in Baltimore, Maryland, we’re unafraid of picking up, leaving home, and chasing after literature, but still, we suspect that our backyard gardens are wild and warm enough. Our relationships are built and maintained through classes with local and regional writers, through workshops headed by closet masters of the craft, through readings, through conferences, through mere telephone conversations and chance meetings in the park.
Posted at 09:24 AM | Comments (3)
Category:
The Writing Life
March 25, 2006
EVER WONDER WHY POETS WEAR BLACK?
My good friend, poet Camille Dungy, author of the recently released WHAT TO EAT, WHAT TO DRINK, AND WHAT TO LEAVE FOR POISON, has written for us a blog entry to answer that age-old-question: Why do poets wear black? And just to make this more fun, write in comments the most remarkable experience you've had with an in-person poet (good, bad, sexy, weird.. go for it!) and I will give away autographed copy of Camille's book for the best story!.
Meanwhile, here's her essay:
Posted at 08:10 AM | Comments (2)
Category:
Guest Bloggers
Octavia Butler Memorial Scholarship *FUND*
I am happy to announce that there is now a movement to endow a scholarship in the name of Octavia Butler, the brilliant writer who passed away a few weeks ago. Everyone is encouraged to donate to this cause which would give students of color the opportunity to attend the Clarion Writing Workshops where Ms. Butler got her start.
I have an idea for how we can all help to raise the money. Why not plan a weekend of fundraising benefits? I imagine that in several citites, on the very same weekend, readers come and read Ms. Butler's works aloud. A bookseller could vend the books and donate the profits to the fund. The oraganizer in each town would secure a space, invite some local notables (writers, actors, etc) to read, thus drawing a crowd, but also invite some regular folks who just loved Ms. Butler to come and read and remember. I thinking a small door charge, just $5 or something that most everyone can afford to pay, but the hat will be passed at the end, there will be the book sales and maybe the bar will donate too!
Posted at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
March 24, 2006
All I Need Now is a Raspberry Beret
Me, after the party. click.
Posted at 03:42 PM | Comments (3)
Category:
The Writing Life
Happy Dance: Toronto Bound
I love good news! I just got word that I was accepted to the Gibraltar Point Artist Residency in Toronto! It's like summer camp for writers!
March 21, 2006
(COLORED) Ghost Writer Needed
This was too weird, um, bizzare, freaky, unusual, (that's it!) not to share. If you are interested, you can send an email to GWNeeded@aol.com (F.Y.I. I am really supressing the urge to give commentary. I think it speaks for itself.)
Serious Ghost Writer Needed
Ghost Writer needed to do a Black Middle Class novel,and/or Urban drama novel and/or Screenplay adaptation to novel. There are 3 different writing projects.
Posted at 09:11 PM | Comments (2)
Category:
The Writing Life
About Last Night...
Note to self: No more weekday parties. I have to teach in a few hours and I am BEAT DOWN.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the paperback launch last night at Busboys and Poets. Everything was just right. The room was packed, the music was right on, and the nice folks at Busboys threw in a huge platter of double chocolate cake!
Photos will be posted soon! (Ladylee, I tried to get the photographer to take a picture of my shoes, but he balked.) But meanwhile, you'll have to take my word for it. A great time was had by all.
March 20, 2006
DROP-SHIP!
IF you are at tonight's party, know that the books that are on hand were rushed to Busboy's, literally HOT OFF THE PRESS. (Much love to my editor Caryn who said, "We can get the books in time for the party, but they will have to drop-shipped from the bindery.")
I spoke to the UPS guy and he verified that the shipment of The Untelling paperbacks were *actually warm*. I am on my way out the door to go the venue. I can't to get a copy in my hot little hands!
TODAY'S THE DAY
March 19, 2006
Sam Lipsyte Hearts Chris Abani in the NYT
I love seeing a good writer get his due. Chris Abani read from Becoming Abagail here at George Washington University a couple of weeks ago. He read so movingly that even the students who showed up search of extra credit groaned when they found out the books were not yet available for purchase. Read the love-letter of a review in the NYT.
March 18, 2006
Found A Good Book Lately?
Poet Camille Dungy swung by my apartment yesterday. She's on tour with her new book of poetry, What To Eat, What To Drink, And What To Leave For Poison. She's a woman who is up on everything, including bookcrossing.com To join bookcrossing, you just leave a book (any book!) in a public place with a sticker inviting folks to come read it and them to website and say what they thought of it. If you are lucky enough to find a bookcrossings book, read it, and then pass it on!
And... I left copies of The Untelling on U Street and so did Camille. Visit the Mocha Hut on U Street and look around. (I am trying to think of a cool place to put Leaving Atalnta.)
March 17, 2006
PARTY FAVORS!
Come on out... We've got goodies!
Monday, 6-8pm. BUSBOYS&POETS. PAPERPACK LAUNCH PARTY
March 16, 2006
Black Power, Kinderegarten Style
Little Autum Ashante's poem, titled "White Nationalism Put U in Bondage", has gotten her in barred from the Westchester School District. She's seven, she's political, and she's a poet. (Perhaps she is the reincarnation of Philis Wheatley?) Here's an excerpt:
Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse," the aspiring actress and poet wrote. "They took the gold, the wisdom and all the storytellers. They took the black women, with the black man weak. Made to watch as they changed the paradigm of our village.
Posted at 10:45 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
Current Events
oh forget it!
I'm hiring a ghost writer:
Posted at 07:35 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
The Writing Life
PROCRASTINATION STATION
Nothing like a looming deadline to make a woman want to do other things. Here are some freaky (in a good way) sites, I ran accross this morning
Ladylee (whom I miss!) comments extensively on pickled pig parts.
Wanna look at the last 40 images posted to livejournal?
Posted at 07:33 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
The Writing Life
March 15, 2006
"deadlining"
deadlining, [ded-li-ning], verb. The act of driving oneself absolutley nuts while trying to meet a deadline for a work of ficiton.
I am sorry for the slow-down in blogging, but I am working hard to have 100 pages of The Bigamist's Daughters ready for my agent by the end of the month. Encouraging words are welcome.
Posted at 09:07 PM | Comments (4)
Category:
March 14, 2006
P.O.P: Pt. 2
Well, it seems like angry women are on a roll. Yesterday, we got to hear about Kate Braverman's smack-down of her publishing house, and now Annie Proiux let's everyone know how pissed she is about the fact the Brokeback Mountain didn't get best picture. I tell you, it is all very inspiring. I've got axes to grind, myself. Maybe I'll discover my inner angry-exhibitionist??
(via Maud)
March 13, 2006
My Girl, Andrea Lawlor
Did you know I used to live in Iowa? Iowa City, to be exact. And no, I wasn't in the Writers Workshop. I had never HEARD of the Iowa Writers Workshop, or any "writers workshop" for the matter when I headed off to Iowa City to work toward a Ph.D. in Literature at The University of Iowa. (There is something really funny about being around people who are convinced of their importance/superiority when you have NO IDEA what it is that has them all so pumped up.) To say that the three years I spent there were uniformly miserable would be something of an overstatement, since I was there when I met my good friend, Andrea Lawlor, the creator of Pocket Myths.
P.O.P. : Pissed Off In Public
As I have written in earlier entries, I was at the AWP Conference in Austin, Texas. Really, I was there. You can ask anybody. I even gave a paper. But it seems that I missed all the drama. Kate Braverman, in an event sponsored by her press (Graywolf), went off and denounced the press, dissed her editor, and had an all out hissy-fit. I am just now hearing about it and that is b/c I saw it on Ed's blog.
Posted at 12:52 PM | Comments (1)
Category:
The Writing Life
Vowing To Never Leave My Home Again
Well, I am back home, all warm and snug after the AWP conference. I can't say that I didn't have a good time.. there are WAY too many photos out there suggesting the contrary.
Posted at 06:19 AM | Comments (3)
Category:
The Writing Life
March 10, 2006
Texas is for Lovers Writers
Okay, I am stil here in Austin, Texas at the AWP Conference. There are writers EVERYWHERE, but especially in the bar.
Posted at 08:10 AM | Comments (2)
Category:
March 09, 2006
Party Countdown!
Okay, this is bringing out my inner fifth-grader. Will you please come to my party?? RSVP here! I am having a book launch event on Monday, March 20th at Busboys and Poets. 6-8 pm. Here in my home-away-from-home Washington, DC. We'll have food, beverages, party favors!
March 08, 2006
Live From Austin!
Hi there, everyone. I am blogging from the annual conference of the Associated Writing Programs, AWP for short. It's a meeting of all the writers who work in academia. You wouldn't believe how many of us there are.
The thing to know about many writers is that we can't afford to take a real vacation, so we just come to the AWP conference for a little meet-and-greet. It's not the same as going on a spa retreat to Maui, but it basically hits the spot.
Who have I seen? Ran into Walter Mosley in the lobby and he graciously pretended to remember meeting me at the National Black Book Club Conference. The lovely Monique Truong is my cell mate. She and I are both novelists, but AWP is really a poet's ball.
If you are in Austin, try and check out some of the events. It's suppossed to be a registration only type of situation, but since everyone is too cool to wear a name tag, it just gets too complicated to check.
Monique and I are reading tomorrow at UT. More details to come.
Posted at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)
Category:
The Writing Life
March 04, 2006
Who Did You Say You Were?
Kevin Kinsella, has written a sort of funny essay about how he goes about writing his short author bio that appears at the end of his articles or in the contributor's notes at the back of a literary magazine. (Via Maud.)
I had to chuckle, as I have spent a lot of worrying over mine in the past. It's a fine line-- you want to give enough information so that everyone knows how fabulous you are, without seeming too desperate to seem fabulous.
Here are my rules of thumb:
Posted at 08:01 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
The Writing Life
Well, It *is* Oscar Weekend
I was trying to keep this low, but my good friend Jacqueline let me know that my buisiness is already in the street, so I'll announce it here. Aletha Spann of 30Nineteen Productions has optioned film rights for LEAVING ATLANTA.
Of course, an option is just one baby step toward actually having a movie made, but it's fun to sort of think of the possibilities.
I mean, how would a person cast LEAVING ATLANTA? One of the fun things would be finding kid actors. And how refreshing it would be to see a black movie without all the usual suspects. Not that I have anything against the black actors who have acheived success, but it will be nice to see some fresh faces.
As everyone knows, I don't have a TV. And I hardly ever make it to the movies. So, I am asking you all who you would cast for the grown up parts? Who would be Octavia's mother? What about Rodney's dad? And we can't forget the uptight teacher, Mr. Harrell. I wonder if they would let me be in, just in a bit part. I'd love to put on a hairnet and play the role of the compassionate cafeteria lady!
March 03, 2006
March 8 is Blog Against Sexism Day
I'm doing it. Anybody else?
(via Ed)
Posted at 08:37 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
March 01, 2006
A Belated R.I.P.
Well lookie here, the NYT has finally seen fit to run an obit for Octavia Butler-- a mere five days after the fact. Classy.
Posted at 01:33 PM | Comments (7)
Category:
Current Events